I gave Komand'r a single nod, acknowledging the gravity of her words. "Thank you for the warning," I said evenly.
She bowed her head in return, her green eyes not leaving mine, as if searching for something deeper.
I turned toward Allen. "We need to speak. Privately."
That made the room shift.
All eyes zeroed in on us.
I looked at Nightwing and Conner, who were already half-reading my expression. "Trust me," I said. "Tell the League… we're lucky if we have a month to prepare."
Nightwing's jaw tensed, but he gave me a curt nod. "Understood."
Conner, as always, didn't speak, but he nodded as well. His eyes said he believed me.
Without another word, I stepped through the sliding doors and made my way down the hall toward a secure chamber, meant for high-level mission briefings. Allen followed me silently.
The door slid closed behind us, locking with a sealed hiss.
I turned to Allen and looked directly into his massive singular eye.
"Create a soundproof dome around us."
Allen blinked. "What? Why?"
His tone was suspicious but calm.
"Because what I'm about to say," I replied slowly, "is something only you, me… and Thaedus should know."
Allen's posture stiffened. His antennae twitched sharply.
"…What?"
"You heard me."
Allen didn't hesitate long. With a swirl of emerald light, his Green Lantern ring projected a tight, humming green dome around us, walls of light humming with layered encryption fields.
"Alright, kid," Allen said, folding his arms. "You've got my attention. I'm trusting you here. Now talk."
"Can your ring connect to Thaedus directly?" I asked.
He nodded. "Yeah."
A pulse of willpower flowed through his ring, and moments later, a shimmering green holo-transmission ignited in the air. The flickering image of Thaedus, Supreme Commander of the Coalition of Planets, emerged in front of us.
"Allen," Thaedus began, his voice calm and composed as always. "How's the meeting on Earth going?"
Then he paused as his eyes shifted to me.
"Is this one of the hybrids?"
Allen nodded.
"Yes, sir. This is Cain Dawn. Viltrumite hybrid… and something else."
Thaedus's glowing white eyes narrowed slightly.
"Are you with the Coalition… or the Empire, boy?"
I straightened my back and met his gaze without blinking.
"I'm on the side of Earth," I said. "But as the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my ally. At least for now."
A heavy pause.
Then both Thaedus and Allen nodded.
"So what did you want to talk about, Cain?" Thaedus asked.
I took a breath.
Then spoke clearly.
"I want to talk about you being a Viltrumite defector… and a Viltrumite in disguise."
Allen's head jerked slightly, confusion washing across his alien features.
"Wait, what?" Allen asked, glancing at Thaedus. "What the hell is he talking about?"
Thaedus was silent.
Then, in a motion both subtle and shattering, he reached up with one hand and pulled off his beard.
Allen's jaw dropped.
"WHAT?!"
I nodded slowly, folding my arms.
"That's how Viltrumites identify themselves," I explained to Allen. "The beard isn't for vanity. It's a cultural marker. Only those who've fully abandoned the Empire, who've cut all ties, can remove it and live without shame. For Viltrumites, the beard is sacred."
Allen turned to Thaedus, dumbfounded. "You… you never said…"
"Because it wasn't necessary," Thaedus said, voice like stone. "Until now."
He turned to me.
"How did you know, Cain?"
"Some secrets need to be held close to the chest," I said, my tone neutral. "Others… are in the blood."
Both men stared at me for a long moment.
"So," Thaedus said slowly, "what's your plan, hybrid?"
I didn't flinch.
"The Scourge Virus," I said. "You made it once. I know you're trying to make it stronger. I know you used your DNA to help craft the first strain."
Allen reeled back, stunned. "That's, crazy! Thaedus, you did what?!"
Thaedus did not blink. "Yes. Tell me Cain of Earth how do you know this?"
I said nothing.
Allen then gawked. "You, committed genocide against your own people?!"
"They weren't people anymore," Thaedus said grimly. "Not then. The Viltrumites of my generation were out of control. When they discovered the breeding potential of hybrids, they crafted a plan to create genetic breeding worlds, long-term planetary projects to generate super-soldiers over thousands of years. A dominion of hybrid dynasties to take the universe… one birth at a time."
The room was silent except for the hum of the ring.
"So with the help of the Guardians of the Universe," he continued, "we waited until they began a civil purge of the weak. That's when we released the virus. While they were weakened, I and the Green Lantern Corps struck."
"We couldn't kill them all… but we reduced their numbers so severely, they were less than a hundred left. The rest… withered. The survivors were pureblood were monsters. And their Grand Regent was the worst of them. Through his strength and wisdom he revived their breeding program and rebuilt their numbers of the millenniums."
I stood in silence, digesting every word.
So the story really did happen… just like the comics, I thought.
"So," I asked, "can the virus be recreated… and strengthened?"
Thaedus looked at me with the expression of a war general. "It's possible. A more aggressive strain using hybrids unique DNA coding, we could tailor it to infect specific Viltrumite genes, but the results might vary."
Allen shook his head in disbelief. "This is all insane."
I kept going.
"Why aren't the Viltrumite numbers not higher now? You'd expect there to be thousands by now… but even with hybrids, they're still only under 500 total, so why?"
That made Thaedus and Allen flinch.
"How do you know that number?"
My eyes widen in surprise from that question. "My father told me when I was younger," I said. "Why? You didn't know the exact count?"
Allen jumped in, "They're masters of inflating planets and hiding numbers, especially on humanoid worlds. The Empire uses propaganda and fear very well. Makes a few sound like hundred sound or thousands."
Thaedus nodded slowly.
"The truth is," he admitted, "the breeding programs failed. Many species couldn't meet Viltrumite hybrid standards. Others took too long to reproduce viable offspring. And Type 2 hybrids, those with enhanced abilities and powers are rare."
"There are Four hybrid classifications," Thaedus continued. "Type 1: A basically Viltrumites with slight differences maybe in aging or adrenal glands. Type 2 Have all the Viltrumite abilities with something called meta gene abilities as well. The truly rare and powerful ones. Type 3: Genetic anomaly and are basically the sire species or Viltrumite humanoids with slightly enhanced ability and life expectancies but no actual powers. They are known as failures but basic grunts used for many purposes. Like Grunt work or breeding host for other hybrids and purebloods. Type 4: Is more of a anomaly, they don't usually survive past the age of 8. Their DNA is unstable and kills them from the inside. So they are considered true failures."
"Take the Tamaraneans, for example. They were used… and discarded since type ones and threes were so common. Only one viable Type 2 ever came from them. And that one? Rules the planet now."
"I've heard," I said quietly.
Then I narrowed my eyes.
"What about a Kryptonian-Viltrumite hybrid?"
That made both of them go completely still.
"The name Zod… ring a bell?"
Thaedus exhaled, something grim flickering in his eyes.
"Yes," he said. "A long time ago, a Viltrumite infiltrated Krypton. He sired a child with House Zod."
"He was a true man of conquest. Relentless. Powerful. A genius tactician."
"To this day, he is known as the second strongest man in the Viltrumite Empire."
My heartbeat began to thrum louder.
"He also… sired the Tamaranean hybrid."
My eyes widened, lips parting slightly in disbelief.
Thaedus looked at me square in the eyes.
"His name… is Dru-Zod."
"But the Empire calls him… Conquest."